Leo

by Rachel Medhurst

  “Not fair, I can’t drink.” Her pout made me pause.

  Maybe it was unfair of me to drag her into my mess. Letting loose with a pregnant woman wasn’t the best idea. Shaking myself, I took her shoulders. “Megan, I don’t know what I was thinking. You should go home. You’re going to have a baby soon-ish.”

  Tapping my nose, she shook her head. “Oh, no…you don’t get to have all the fun without me. I don’t mind not drinking…even though it does stink. No…you go get some drinks…soft for me, though…I’ll go get my table.”

  The VIP table she spoke of was a booth right next to the dance floor. She didn’t wait for a reply before she made her way over, grinning up at the bouncer as he quickly emptied the booth of a random group of people.

  Megan wasn’t a traditional snob. She may be a little ignorant to the plight of people, but she had a kind heart. I watched her apologise to the people she had inadvertently kicked out. Waving them back in, she spoke to the bouncer before returning to me.

  “The booth is taken tonight.” She sighed.

  Smiling to myself, I put my arm around her shoulder and guided her to the bar. “So…we’ll be commoners then.”

  Hitting my arm, yet again, she laughed. “Don’t be mean. Okay, we’ll hang out here. But, I want at least one dance, Leo. I’m not quite about to give birth. I’ve got a couple of months yet.”

  Ordering our drinks, I let the idea of a raving drunk night go. I couldn’t abandon my friend in a pit of selfish alcoholic despair. As much as I wanted to.

  My phone buzzed against my leg where it sat in my jeans pocket. Ignoring it, I ripped my jacket off, putting it over the bar stool before sitting down.

  Megan watched me as she sipped her boring drink through a straw. Her gaze was intense, studying. Waving my hand in front of her face, I broke her concentration. It wasn’t like her to make such an effort to see me.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, flicking her blonde hair over her shoulder.

  The music was too loud for normal conversation. Placing my glass of neat vodka on the bar, I took hers and did the same. Grabbing her hand, I dragged her onto the dance floor. A quick dance would stop her questions. We had rarely spoken about anything serious. My dreams of being a famous singer were often the topic of our conversations. Until she got pregnant. Our discussions then turned to how the hell she would tell her father.

  Megan ripped from my grasp and went over to the DJ. He grinned when he saw her, knowing exactly what she was going to ask. She was royalty at the club. She should be, her dad owned it. The beat sped up to my favourite dance song. My songs were nothing like the dance music of the day, but I liked all sorts of genres.

  “There you go,” Megan shouted in my ear when I hugged her thanks.

  Letting her go, I closed my eyes and moved to the beat. The rhythm always helped me to let go of my worries. Although, the burning in my chest still hadn’t subsided. I should have finished my drink and ordered another one.

  Opening my eyes, I grinned when my gaze clashed with a tall dark woman’s. Her hair was long and straight, her skin dark and her eyes like holes that I just wanted to fall into. Her body swayed to the music, a sensual dance, even though the beat was fast.

  Megan nudged me in the ribs before pushing me towards the other woman. My small friend knew me well. Too well. Shaking my head, even though I regretted it, big time, I turned to Megan and danced with her. Her body moved, but the effort was only half of what it would have been before she was pregnant. Why, oh why, had I brought her to the club?

  Taking her hand when the song finished, I led her back to the bar. “We need to get you home.”

  She yawned, shaking her head at the same time. “I’m fine!”

  Looking over my shoulder, I stared at the beauty on the dance floor. Her attention was elsewhere now. It was a shame I wouldn’t be able to get to know her tonight, but there would be plenty of opportunity to know many women soon.

  “Let’s go.” Threading my fingers through Megan’s, I pulled her out of the club.

  “Why are we going? You need to let your hair down.”

  Her high heels clicked on the pavement as we walked. I didn’t know where we were going or what I was doing. I just needed to be anywhere but at home.

  “I shouldn’t have taken you to a club in your condition.”

  “You sound like my father, I’m just pregnant, not injured.” Megan linked her arm through mine, trusting me to take her somewhere fun. “Where next? How about the wine bar near London Bridge. It’s not far from here…and it’s quiet.”

  The bar she spoke about was incredibly trendy and exclusive. I would be very surprised if they actually let me in. I wasn’t famous enough yet. Glancing down at her, I raised my eyebrows. “It’s getting late. Plus…they won’t let me in.”

  “You are friends with me, of course they’ll let you in.”

  I let her lead me towards the bar. Maybe she was right. A quiet drink would be more sensible than getting raving drunk. Especially with the pregnant lady. Why had I called her? I should have gone to my bandmates flat. Even if they didn’t get me as well as Megan did.

  “Your song sounded amazing on the radio tonight,” Megan said as I was about to open my mouth.

  “It did, didn’t it? I’m so proud of the boys.”

  The bar came into view in the street ahead. The entrance was a small heavy wooden door with a bouncer outside. As we approached he eyed my clothes. Ripped jeans, black T-shirt and a black leather jacket was probably not the dress wear for such an exclusive bar. My spikey hair wouldn’t have helped either.

  “Hello, can I help you?” the tall wide man asked.

  “My name is Megan Bintell. This is Leo from the band Chasing Destiny.

  He furrowed his brow as he looked me over. “Nope, sorry, we’re full tonight.”

  Megan laughed, slapping my arm. “Really now? You’ll regret that by the end of the week.”

  Dragging on my arm, she pulled me away from the man. My chest burned as I went with her, resisting the temptation to blow my fire straight in the man’s face as he smirked at us.

  “Leave it,” Megan snapped.

  Allowing my shoulders to relax, I put my arm around her shoulder. “To the café it is,” I said, leading her towards the tiny corner café at the end of the street.

  It was getting late, people were starting to find their way home. A group of friends laughed as they passed us. I watched them go, wishing for a split second that I could have a normal life. That I could be surrounded by people I could trust. People I could tell all my secrets to.

  “I could do with some food.” Megan rubbed her baby bump as we went inside and the smell of bacon wrapped around us.

  “That’s a good smell to be hit with,” I said, placing my hand on the bottom of her back to lead her to a table.

  The waitress came over and took our order. Megan stared at me as I put the menu down and looked out of the window.

  “Why do you so badly want this…this type of lifestyle?” Her question was odd. She went on when I didn’t reply. “You know, the fame and fortune? Everyone’s eyes on you.”

  Glancing around the room, I took note of a man with grey hair, his head bent over his coffee mug. The woman in a nurse’s uniform, obviously on her way to a night shift. A young man with bags under his eyes and a group of rowdy men, all wearing black.

  Turning back to my friend, I looked into her blue eyes. “You’ve researched star signs since I told you the whole story behind my crazy parents adopting twelve kids and naming them after the signs. You know that as a Leo, I like to be in the limelight. I like to be adored.” She nodded her head. “Well, it’s more than that. It’s like writing songs is something I just have to do. I can’t not do it. When I’ve tried in the past, when feeling down or I’ve been too busy with something else, I get agitated. It’s like a weird type of emotional release when I write and sing. Does that make sense?”

  A smile turned the corners of her lips. “It does
, but I’m talking about making it in the industry. Everything about this life makes life easier to some degree, but it’s so…empty.”

  The sigh of her breath made me reach across the table and take her hand. The food and coffee came at that moment, distracting us. It gave me time to think. Megan had always seemed satisfied with her life. The money, being known, wanting to be known. What was not to love?

  “I like a challenge as I was so strongly reminded recently.” I smiled as I thought of Amelia.

  Although our goodbye had been easy, what she had said stayed with me. She knew me so well, without knowing me at all. It was an odd feeling to have someone so intimately know how you felt, what you strived for.

  Taking a mouthful of bacon, beans and egg, I almost choked when my throat flamed as it went down. I had to get to somewhere soon. Moron obviously wanted me to go back in time. If I could hold out for another hour, I could eat and get home.

  “Are you okay?” Megan rammed her food in her mouth, pointing to her baby budge when I frowned at her. “He’s hungry.”

  “Is he, now? I’m okay, just went down the wrong hole.” Taking a sip of water, I tried again. Nope, it almost came back up as I forced the food down my throat. There would be no more eating for me.

  “Leo, it’s nice to see you again.”

  I froze, the fork clattering to my plate as I looked up at the man who had approached the table without me noticing. Nick’s grey hair was dull under the dim lights, but the black of his clothes and the deep voice was unmistakeable. And, so was the men standing behind him. Why hadn’t I taken more notice of the people in the café?

  “How are you? How’s Amelia?”

  Megan stopped chewing, slowly lowering her fork to her plate as Nick sat in the booth next to her. Clenching my hand around the edge of the table, I smiled at her, trying to reassure her that everything would be okay.

  “I wouldn’t know how Amelia is, I’ve not seen her, have you?”

  I was telling the truth, he couldn’t deny that. Nick wasn’t stupid, he was clever. Sometimes too clever. However, fate had something to do with the current situation considering I had just walked straight into the same place as my enemies. I had been so wrapped up in my own stuff, I hadn’t even noticed them.

  “No, I’ve not seen her, but you knew that. Who is this lovely lady?” Nick smiled at Megan, his hand reaching towards her stomach.

  She batted him away, scowling in his face. “How rude! How would you like it if I just grabbed a part of your body?”

  I stifled a laugh by coughing, covering my mouth when smoke filtered out of it. If I wasn’t careful, my fire would explode out of me. It wouldn’t matter if it was just Nick, but Megan was right next to him. Clever move.

  Nick’s eyebrows rose as he glanced at me. I knew what reply I would have given her if the circumstances were very different. But, Nick was too much of a gentleman for that type of humour.

  “I’m Nick…and, you are?”

  Clearing my throat as the heat increased in my chest, I took Megan’s hand over the table and squeezed it. “This is Megan.”

  I didn’t want to alarm her, so I didn’t add anything else. If I asked him to leave her out of it, she would panic. Moron had better wait to…

  The wind washed over me, turning my vision black. “Megan, run!” I shouted as my mind disappeared from the café.

  Chapter Ten

  Opening my eyes, I cringed. The darkness, the dank smell. Moron.

  Thrusting from where I lay, I looked around. He was by the glass, waiting for me. “Send me back, now! My friend’s in danger.”

  Moron’s hood shook. The darkness of his figure towered over me, but I would run him down to get to Megan. How could he do that to me? Why hadn’t I made more effort to get home?

  “I’m sorry, Leo, but you heard the call. You always hear the call, but you choose to ignore it.” His deep voice vibrated around the stone cave.

  I glared at him, at the glass, at the wet rock that housed my annoying secret chamber. “Why can’t I tell anyone? I almost killed my sister!”

  Moron didn’t move a muscle from his spot next to the glass. I had no idea if he had muscle, being that he was always hidden by the cloak, yet, the energy in the room changed. A calm descended on me as Moron tapped the side of the glass and a picture shaped on it. I had never seen that happen before.

  “Your mission is different from the others. You’ve learnt that from your meeting with Amelia. You can’t tell anyone about this because they won’t understand. And, they can influence you, too. This is for you and Amelia. Your souls agreed to this, remember that.”

  The picture on the screen was of my family. They were still sitting around the dinner table, talking amongst themselves, quietly for once. Our father and mother were huddled together with Bev at one end of the table.

  “Why are you showing me my family?” I clenched my fingers into my palm.

  Moron chuckled, his eerie voice bouncing off the walls. “They all have their own secrets. Even if they’re not as big as yours, they’re still different to you.”

  He was right. We had our own lives, I reminded myself of that all the time. It was just hard to not have anyone to share my burden with. It was like I was living two lives, not just one.

  “It’s time to go. Like Amelia said, if you listen and do as she told you, I won’t drag you here anymore. I’ve not seen her in a long time.” Moron tapped the glass again and it went clear.

  “But…what about uniting? My family are going to hate me for failing our mission.” Stepping forward, I moved nearer the glass, ready to get the next quest out of the way so I could get back to Megan. Megan!

  “Wait, I need to go back to Megan, I can’t go back in time now. What if Nick takes us?”

  Moron sighed, his hot breath washing over me. It didn’t smell or anything, yet, I couldn’t help the shudder that shook my body. “Like I said, if you had listened in the first place, you wouldn’t be in this mess. I can’t help you get back until you’re done here.” He pointed at the glass, gesturing for me to go through.

  Growling low in my throat, I rushed into the glass, cursing to myself as I tripped and landed flat on my face. Quickly looking up, I paused, assessing my surroundings. A bed. I was lying face down on a soft bed…naked.

  A giggle made me spin around. Amelia. She looked different, her hair long, fair and curly down to her waist. I sat up, looking at her, unable to take my gaze away. The fire lit her from behind, showing each and every curve that was bare to my eyes. Blinking, I slipped straight into the part.

  “Hello,” I breathed.

  Another giggle filtered from her mouth before her eyes grew wide and a hand came up to cover herself. “Leo!”

  No matter how hard I tried to stop it, the grin would not leave my face. Amelia had just joined me in our past life, unaware she was stark naked, right in front of me. The laughter came as she scrambled around on the floor for something to cover herself with. Rolling back on the bed, I grabbed my stomach at the hilarity. I couldn’t help it, it was funny.

  “Shut up, Leo!” Amelia said, throwing something on the bed.

  Feeling for it, I laughed even harder. It was a shoe. She had tried to shut me up by throwing a shoe at me. It had missed.

  “Give me that.” Amelia got hold of the blanket I was on and tugged.

  It didn’t move, I was too big. Rocking up into a sitting position, I tried to get a hold of myself. Amelia tugged again. It still didn’t move.

  “Fine!” Her breath huffed out as her hands came to her hips and she stood directly in front of me.

  My eyes were in line with the soft roundness of her. The roof of my mouth went dry as she stared at me, her full body on display. Jumping up, I grabbed the blanket and threw it around her, not worrying about my own bare arse.

  “Alyssa,” I breathed, putting my hands on the top of her arms and guiding her to a chair.

  She sat down, her face softening as I found my clothes on the floor. Poorly ma
de trousers almost fell apart as I shoved them on and walked over to sit in the chair opposite her by the fire. We were in 1875…in America.

  “We need to be Leo and Amelia for a moment.” She tucked the blanket around her.

  Shaking my head, I pushed away the memories of the lifetime we now sat in. It was a new thing, remembering where I was. Before, I had always had to think on my feet to know who I was. It had been extra tough to know what to say and do.

  “Why do I suddenly know exactly where I am when I get to another time? I never used to.”

  Alyssa smiled slowly, her eyes watching me closely. “Because you’re learning. Did Moron ever say that you’ll learn more as you go along?”

  I nodded, not going into detail. He had always told me to listen. I had no idea what he was speaking about, so I often ignored him. Maybe he was trying to help me instead of hindering me like I had believed all those years.

  “It’s strange, knowing that it’s you and me. I mean…you’re with Freddie in 2016. I hope that’s going well, by the way.”

  She nodded, a genuine smile coming to her face. “It is, thank you. Although, that’s what we need to speak about. Leo…the people we end up with in 2016 need to understand something. In these lives…this is going to happen.” She gestured around the room, indicating our nakedness. “It will be as if we’re cheating on them. Obviously, we’re not, because this has already played out. But, I don’t know if I can cope with that. I have no idea how to tell Freddie about this.”

  “You can’t tell people. I tried to speak to Virgo, but I almost set her on fire. I don’t think I’ll settle down for a long time, but when I do, I can’t physically tell them about this. About you.”

  Alyssa’s face scrunched up as a sob escaped her lips. I moved over to her, automatically putting my arms around her. The warm familiar feel of her returned as she clung to my shoulders. She was right. How could we live separate lives in the future, yet, be together in the past? It would be agony to keep that from someone we loved.